Rajasthan Government to hold talks with Gujjars at Bayana

Bayana, June 9 : The Rajasthan Government will today hold talks with the Gujjars demanding Scheduled Tribe status at Bayana, a stronghold of the community in Rajasthan's Bharatpur District.

The first round of dialogue, which is scheduled to begin here, is proposed to be concluded in Jaipur.

On Sunday, Gujjar Arakshan Sangarsh Samiti patron Colonel (retired) Kirori Singh Bainsla said that Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje had taken a "step ahead" by agreeing to start the dialogue.

Earlier, Bainsla had said that the talks would not be held in Jaipur, and made a fresh appeal to the Rajasthan Government to come to Bayana for talks.

The Rajasthan Government had rejected the demand to hold talks at Bayana, asking Bainsla to send his delegation for talks at Jaipur.

Agitating Gujjars had earlier sent a letter to the Rajasthan Government expressing their readiness to hold talks as uncertainty continued over an early end to the two-week stand off. The Gujjars have been agitating in support of their demand for being granted Scheduled Tribe status.

The protests have often turned violent and resulted in deaths of both members of the community as well as police.